Tomographic Scanner Safety Mechanisms for Collision Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Close range tomographic scanning machines face challenges in safely positioning scanning heads near patients, risking collisions and electrical hazards due to uncontrolled movement and interference with measurement signals.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates multiple safety features, including a counterweight for balancing detector heads, proximity sensors, collision sensors, and restrictors to prevent uncontrolled movements and collisions, along with a power converter to reduce electrical hazards by using low voltage high current signals, and a shield to uniformly attenuate signals detected by the detector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the detector head is positioned close to the patient for high-resolution scanning, then measurement precision is improved, but the risk of collision and electrical hazards increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary safety actions by positioning mechanical restrictors and electrical safety shields before the detector head reaches hazardous positions. The restrictors are pre-positioned at safe distances from the patient, and electrical shields are activated before close proximity scanning begins, preventing collision and electrical hazards before they can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary safety components between the detector head and the patient. Mechanical restrictors act as physical intermediaries that limit the detector head's approach distance, while electrical shields serve as intermediary protective barriers that prevent electrical discharge to the patient during close-range scanning.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the detector head moves dynamically to adjust scanning position, then adaptability is improved, but uncontrolled movement and collision risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the detector head position relative to the patient and automatically activating safety restrictors when predetermined distance thresholds are approached. The system provides real-time feedback on detector head movement and automatically restricts further movement when safe positioning limits are reached, ensuring reliable movement control while maintaining positioning flexibility.
3Measurement precision
If high voltage is used in the detector head for sensitive detection, then measurement precision is improved, but electrical hazards to the patient increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electrical shield as an intermediary protective barrier between the high-voltage detector head and the patient. This shield prevents direct electrical contact while allowing the detector head to maintain its high-voltage operation for sensitive detection, thus preserving measurement precision while eliminating electrical hazards to the patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the electrical hazard function from the detector head operation by implementing separate safety shielding that isolates the high-voltage components from the patient. This allows the detector head to maintain high voltage for sensitive detection while the extracted safety function protects the patient from electrical hazards.
4Ease of operation
If the extender allows full range of motion for positioning, then ease of operation is improved, but uncontrolled movement and instability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic positioning with conditional restriction. The extender allows full range of motion for normal positioning operations to maintain ease of operation, but automatically activates mechanical restrictors when approaching safe position limits to prevent uncontrolled movement. This dynamic switching between free movement and restricted movement maintains both positioning flexibility and movement stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively prevents collisions and electrical hazards, ensuring safe operation by dynamically controlling detector head movements and reducing interference with measurement signals, while maintaining precise positioning and efficient power supply.
Implementation Method 1
a counter weight for the detector head, the counter weight balancing a force of gravity of the detector head along the path
Implementation Method 2
A proximity sensor monitor (62) is coupled with the plurality of capacitive elements to detect proximity of a subject to the radiation detector head based on a measured electrical characteristic of the capacitive elements
Implementation Method 3
A collision sensor monitor (64) is coupled with the plurality of capacitive elements to detect conductive electric current flowing between spaced apart parallel conductive plates (66, 67) of the capacitive element responsive to mechanical deformation of the spacing between the plates
Implementation Method 4
a power converter to reduce electrical hazards by using low voltage high current signals
Implementation Method 5
a shield to uniformly attenuate signals detected by the detector
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a safety system for a close range scanning machine inhibits collision of moving detector heads with a patient or other object. For example a proximity sensor and/or a collision sensor may guide to bring the head close enough to a patient and/or warn to prevent a collisions and or reduce impact. Parts that are in that are in the FOV of the detector may be transparent to the detected signal and/or uniformly affect the signal, facilitating identification of the source of the signal from the detector. In some embodiments, a dynamic motion restrictor is set during scanning according to the desired scanning position and/or the position of the patient. In some embodiments, a motion restrictor acts to prevent unbalanced motions.